Militants kill 12 soldiers and injure five in Burkina Faso attack

As yet, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack

The attack took place near to the town of Yirgou (AFP via Getty Images)

Militants killed at least 12 Burkina Faso soldiers and injured five others in an attack in the north of the country, five security sources said on Monday.

The attack on the military detachment took place near the town of Yirgou, in Sanmatenga province, early on Monday. The death toll could climb, one of the security sources said.

The Burkina Faso government was not immediately available to comment. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yirgou was the scene of another militant ambush in June, during which at least 15 police officers were killed. Their unit had been visiting the town on a relief mission following a previous bout of militant violence.

Attacks linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have surged across Africa’s Sahel region, killing thousands and displacing millions across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. About 1.2 million people have been displaced by the violence in Burkina Faso alone.

Reuters